With the arrival of party representatives from Guinea, Niger and Djibouti in Beijing on June 19, all the members of a delegation of African countries' ruling parties have arrived here to officially launch a 16-day study tour in China.

The delegation, composed of about 20 members from nine African countries, including the above three plus Seychelles, Madagascar, Rwanda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Togo, are here as guests of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The delegation will attend a seminar on further cementing inter- party and nation-to-nation relations between China and the African countries, and will meet with the CPC leaders.

Besides Beijing, the delegation will also tour northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and east China's Shandong Province, visiting state-owned enterprises, private companies, economic and technological development zones as well as some agricultural and border trade projects.

The nine ruling parties from African countries are Seychelles People's Progressive Front, Rwandese Patriotic Front, Cameroun People's Democratic Rally, Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, Rally of the Togolese People, Tiako I Mada-gasikara, National Movement for Social Development of Niger, Party of Unity and Progress of Guinea, Popular Rally for Progress of Djibouti.

The recent years have witnessed frequent exchanges of visits between leaders of China and African nations and the further enhancement of mutual cooperation on international affairs. According to the international department, there are altogether 104 members from 24 African countries have attended similar seminars in China initiated in 1998.

Source: Xinhua